<p align="center"><strong><em>The greatest method of deception is to counterfeit.</em></strong><br>
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And the master of counterfeit and deception is Satan.</em></strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong>by Terry Watkins</strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong>coun ter feit</strong> \'kaunt-er-fit\: to imitate or copy closely<br>
<strong><em>especially with intent to deceive</em></strong>. <br>
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The Bible in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 warns of Satan's counterfeit: <em>"And no marvel; for Satan himself is</em><em> </em><strong><em>transformed into an angel of light.</em></strong><em> </em><em>Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;. . ."</em> Isaiah 14: 14 tells of Satan's ultimate counterfeit: <strong><em>". . . I will BE LIKE the most High."</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
And among his greatest counterfeit's is the New King James Bible (NKJV). Christians that would never touch a New International Version (NIV), New American Standard (NASV), Revised Standard (RSV), the New Revised Standard (NRSV) or other <em>per</em>-versions are being "seduced" by the subtil NKJV. <br>
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And though the New King James does indeed bear a "likeness" to the 1611 King James Bible, as you'll soon see, there's something else coiled (see Genesis 3:1) <em>"underneath the cover"</em> of the NKJV. <br>
The Preface to the New King James Version (NKJV) reads, <em>"A special feature of the New King James Version is ITS</em><em> </em><strong><em>CONFORMITY</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><em>to the thought flow of the 1611 Bible. . . the new edition,</em><em> </em><strong><em>while much clearer</em></strong><em> </em><em>ARE SO</em><em> </em><strong><em>CLOSE</em></strong><em> </em><em>to the traditional. . ."</em><em> </em><br>
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Among the first <em>changes</em> that greets the reader of the NKJV is the removal of the much maligned <em>"thee, thou and ye"</em>. The <em>Preface</em> to the NKJV states, <em>". . .thee, thou, and ye are replaced by the simple you,. . .<strong>These pronouns are no longer part of our language</strong>."</em><em> </em>But "thee, thou and ye" were <em>"NO LONGER part of the language"</em> during 1611 either. (just read the intro to the 1611 King James, there are no "thee", "thou" and "ye"). In fact, <em>Webster's Third New International Dictionary,</em> says of <strong>ye</strong>: <em>"used from the earliest of times</em><em> </em><strong><em>to the late 13th century</em></strong><em>. . ."</em>(p.2648) And yet the 1611 King James was published 400 years later in the 17th century!<br>
<strong><em>So why are they there?</em></strong> <br>
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The Greek and Hebrew language contain a different word for the second person <em>singular</em> and the second person <em>plural</em> pronouns. Today we use the one-word "you" for both the singular and plural. But because the translators of the 1611 King James Bible desired an <em>accurate</em>, <em>word-for-word</em> translation of the Hebrew and Greek text - <strong><em>they could NOT use the one-word "you" throughout!</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><em>If it begins with "t" (thou, thy, thine) it's SINGULAR, but if it begins with "y" (ye) it's PLURAL.</em> Ads for the NKJV call it "the Accurate One", and yet the 1611 King James, by using "thee", "thou", "ye", is far more accurate! <br>
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By the way, if the "thee's" and "thou's" are ". . .<em>no longer part of our language"</em> - why aren't the NKJV translators rushing to make our hymnbooks "much clearer"? "How Great Thou Art" to "How Great You Are", or "Come Thou Fount" to "Come You Fount" <em>Doesn't sound right, does it?</em> Isn't it amazing that they wouldn't dare "correct" our hymns - <strong><em>and yet, without the slightest hesitation, they'll "correct" the word of God!</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><br>
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The NKJV claims to make the "old" KJV "much clearer" by <em>"updating obsolete words"</em> (<em>New King James Version</em>, 1982e. p. 1235)<br>
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How about that <em>"obsolete word"</em> - <strong>"hell"</strong>. The NKJV removes the word "hell" 23 times! And how do they make it "much clearer"? <strong><em>By replacing "hell" with "Hades" and "Sheol"!</em></strong><em>Webster</em><em>'s New Collegiate Dictionary</em> defines Hades:<em> </em><em>"the underground abode of the dead in Greek</em><em> </em><strong><em>MYTHOLOGY</em></strong><em>". By making it "much clearer" - they turn your Bible into <strong>MYTHOLOGY</strong>!</em><em> </em>Not only that, Hades is not always a place of torment or terror! The Assyrian Hades is an abode of blessedness with silver skies called "Happy Fields". <em>In the satanic New Age Movement, Hades is an intermediate state of purification!</em> <br>
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<em>Who in their right mind would think "Hades" or "Sheol" is "up-to-date" and "much clearer" than "hell"?</em><em> </em><br>
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<strong>Matthew</strong><strong> 16:18</strong> <br>
<strong><em>KJV:</em></strong><em> </em><em>"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and</em><em> </em><strong><em>the gates of hell</em></strong><em> </em><em>shall not prevail against it."<br>
<strong>NKJV:</strong></em><em> </em><em>"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and</em><em> </em><strong><em>the gates of Hades</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><em>shall not prevail against it."</em> <br>
<strong>Luke</strong><strong> 16:23</strong> <br>
<strong><em>KJV:</em></strong><em> </em><em>"And</em><em> </em><strong><em>in hell</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><em>he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."<br>
<strong>NKJV:</strong></em><em> </em><em>"And being in torments</em><strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>in Hades</em></strong><em>, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."</em><br>
<p>Hell is removed in 2 Sam. 22:6, Job 11:8, 26:6, Psalm 16:10, 18:5, 86:13, 116:3, Isaiah 5:14, 14:15, 28:15,18, 57:9, Jonah 2:2, Matt. 11:23, 16:18, Luke 10:15, 16:23, Acts 2:27, 31, Rev. 1:18, 6:8, 20:13,14.<br>
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Then the NKJV decides that maybe "Hades" should be "grave"! So the NKJV makes 1 Corinthians 15:55 "much clearer" by changing "grave" to "Hades"! ". . . <strong><em>O Hades</em></strong><em>, where is your victory?"<strong>Clear as mud. . .</strong></em><br>
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Another one of those "obsolete words" is "repent". They take it out 44 times! And how does the NKJV make it "much clearer"? In Matthew 21:32 they use "relent". Matthew 27:3 it's "remorseful" Or Romans 11:29 they change "repentance" to "irrevocable". <br>
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The term "new testament" is NOT in the NKJV! (see Matt. 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Cor. 11:25, 2 Cor. 3:6, Heb. 9:15,) The NKJV replaces "new testament" with "new covenant" (ditto NIV, NRSV, RSV, NASV). <em>An obvious assault at the written word!</em><br>
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The word "damned", "damnation" is NOT in the NKJV! They make it "much clearer" by replacing it with "condemn" (ditto NIV, RSV, NRSV, NASV). <strong><em>"Condemned" is NO WHERE NEAR AS SERIOUS as "damned"! Damned is eternal! </em></strong>One can be "condemned" and not "damned". Romans 14:22 says, <em>". . . Happy is he that <strong>condemneth</strong> not himself in that thing which he alloweth."</em> <em>Webster</em> defines "condemned": to declare to be wrong, but the much more serious and eternal "damn": "to condemn to hell".<br>
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The word "devils" (the singular, person called the "devil" is) is NOT in the NKJV! Replaced with the "transliterated" Greek word "demon" (ditto NIV, RSV, NRSV, NASV). <em>The Theosophical Dictionary</em> describes demon as: <em>". . . it has a meaning identical with that of 'god', 'angel' or 'genius'". </em>Even <em>Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words </em>(p.157)<em> </em>defines "demon" as: <strong><em>"an inferior deity, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD".</em></strong> <em>Webster</em> defines "demon" as: "divinity, spirit, an attendant power or spirit", but "devil" as: <em>"the personal supreme spirit of EVIL. . ." </em>
In 2 Timothy 2:15, the NKJV (like the NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV) remove that "obsolete" word - <strong><em>"study"</em></strong>! The only time you're told to "study" your Bible. <strong>AND THEY ZAP IT!</strong> <em>Why don't they want you to "study" your Bible? Maybe they don't want you to look too close - <strong>you might find out what they've ACTUALLY done to your Bible!</strong> </em>The "real" KJV is the only English Bible in the world that instructs you to "study" your Bible!<br>
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That "obsolete" word "virtue" is replaced with "power" in Mark 5:30, Luke 6:19, 8:46! How does anybody confuse "virtue" with "power"? <em>Simple - by being "bosom-buddies" with the NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV! <strong>That's what they did!</strong></em><br>
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One of the most absurd changes ever made is changing the word "servant" to "slave"! The NKJV in Romans 6:22, reads: <em>"But now having been set FREE from sin, and having become <strong>SLAVES OF GOD</strong>. . ."</em> The NKJV, in 1 Corinthians 7:22, calls the Christian, <strong>"Christ's slave"</strong>. Talk about a contradiction! John 8:36 says, <em>"If the Son therefore shall make you FREE, <strong>YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED</strong>."</em> But isn't a Christian supposed to serve? Yes, in love. Not as a slave! Galatians 5:13 explains it, perfectly: <em>"For, brethren, ye have been called unto LIBERTY;</em>(not slavery!) <em>only use not LIBERTY for an occasion to the flesh, <strong>but BY LOVE SERVE one another."</strong></em><br>
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In order to "harmonize" with the satanic New Age Movement (and of course the NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV!), the NKJV changes <em>"end of the <strong>WORLD</strong>" </em>to <em>"end of the <strong>AGE</strong>"!</em> And in it's no longer the <em>"<strong>WORLD</strong> to come"</em> but<em> </em><em>"<strong>AGE</strong> to come"</em>. The New Age Movement teaches a series of ages (hence the name: New <strong>AGE</strong>). See Matthew 12:32, 13:39, 13:40, 13:49, 24:3, 28:20, Mark 10:30, Luke 13:30, 20:34,35, 1 Cor 1:21.<br>
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The New Age Movement and the occult are longing for one called the Maitreya. The Bible calls him the Anti-Christ. New Ager's refer to him as the <strong><em>"the Coming One" - AND SO DOES THE NKJV!</em></strong> In Luke 7:19, 20 (see also Matt 11:3) John told his disciples to ask Jesus: <strong><em>"Are You THE COMING ONE. . ."</em></strong><em> </em>In the "The Great Invocation", a "prayer" highly reverenced among New Agers and chanted to "invoke" the Maitreya, says, <em>"Let Light and Love and Power and Death, Fulfil the purpose of <strong>the Coming One</strong>." <br>
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And to REALLY show their sympathy with the satanic New Age Movement - <strong>BELIEVE IT OR NOT - in Acts 17:29 the New Age NKJV changes "Godhead" to "Divine Nature"!</strong> ( ditto NIV, NASV)</em><br>
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And if you think the NKJV <em>just</em> "innocently" updated the "obsolete words", removed the "thee's and thou's" - here's what the translators proudly admit: <em>"<strong>IT IS CLEAR</strong> that this revision <strong>REQUIRED</strong> more than the dropping of "-eth" endings, removing, "thee's" and "thou's," and updating obsolete words."</em> (<em>The New King James Version</em>, 1982e. p. 1235)<br>
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<strong><em>AND THEY AIN'T JUST A KIDDIN'!</em></strong><br>
<div align="center">
<table border="1" cellpadding="0">
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<td><br>
<strong>Here's a sampling of the</strong><strong> </strong><strong><em>required</em></strong><strong> </strong><strong>changes:</strong></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div><br>
<strong>Genesis 2:18:</strong><strong> </strong>The NKJV ought to make Hillary Clinton proud: <em>"And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make a helper</em><em> </em><strong><em>COMPARABLE TO HIM"</em></strong><em> </em><br>
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<strong>Genesis 22:8:</strong> One of the greatest verses in the Bible proclaiming that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh: <em>"God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:"</em><em> </em>The NKJV adds that little word<em>"for": "God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering"</em><em> </em>And destroys the wonderful promise! Where'd they get their little "for"? <strong><em>From the NASV!</em></strong><br>
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<strong>Genesis 24:47:</strong> The "old" KJV reads: <em>"I put the</em><em> </em><strong><em>earring</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><em>upon her face".</em> But the NKJV has different plans for beautiful Rebekah: <em>"I put the</em><em> </em><strong><em>nose ring</em></strong><em> </em><em>on her nose"</em>. Where did it get the ridiculous idea to "cannibalize" Rebekah?<em> </em><em>Just take a peek at the NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV!</em> <br>
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<strong>Ezra 8:36:</strong><strong> </strong>The KJV reads, <em>"And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's</em><em> </em><strong><em>lieutenants</em></strong><em>. . ."</em> The "much clearer" NKJV reads, <em>"And they delivered the king's orders to the king's</em><em> </em><strong><em>satraps</em></strong><em>. . ."</em> Who in the world thinks "satraps" is "much clearer" than lieutenants? <strong>The NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV - they do! They put in the same "much clearer" word!</strong><br>
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<strong>Psalms 109:6:</strong> removes <em>"Satan"</em>. (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV). <br>
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<strong>Matthew</strong><strong> 7:14:</strong> change <em>"<strong>narrow</strong></em><em> </em><em>is the way"</em><em> </em>to <em>"<strong>difficult</strong></em><em> </em><em>is the way"</em>. There's nothing <strong>"difficult"</strong> about the salvation of Jesus Christ! Jesus says in Matt. 11:30, <em>"For my yoke is</em><em> </em><strong><em>EASY</em></strong><em>, and my burden is light."</em> <strong>THE EXACT OPPOSITE!</strong><strong> </strong>Boy, you talk about a contradiction!<br>
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<strong>Matthew</strong><strong> 12:40:</strong> change <em>"whale"</em> to <em>"fish"</em> (ditto NIV) I don't guess it matters (what's the truth got to do with it?), the Greek word used in Matthew 12:40 is <em>ketos</em>. The scientific study of whales just happens to be - <strong><em>CETOLOGY</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong>- from the Greek <em>ketos</em> for whale and <em>logos</em> for study! The scientific name for whales just happens to be - <strong><em>CETACEANS</em></strong> - from the Greek <em>ketos</em> for whale! <br>
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<strong>Matthew 18:26</strong> & <strong>Matthew 20:20:</strong> The NKJV removes <em>"worshipped him"</em> (robbing worship from Jesus) (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>Mark 13:6 & Luke 21:8:</strong> removes <em>"Christ"</em> (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>John 1:3:</strong> change<em> </em><em>"All things were made BY him;"</em> to <em>"All things were made THROUGH Him"</em> (NIV, NRSV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>John 4:24:</strong> change <em>"God is a spirit"</em> to the impersonal, New Age pantheistic,<em> "God is spirit"</em> (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV) <br>
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<strong>John 14:2:</strong> (NKJV 1979 edition) change <em>"mansions"</em> to <em>"dwelling places"</em> (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>John 14:16:</strong> change <em>"comforter"</em> to <em>"helper"</em>(refers to Holy Spirit) (NASV)<br>
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<strong>Acts 4:27, 30:</strong> change <em>"holy child"</em> to <em>"holy servant"</em> (refers to Jesus) (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV) <br>
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<strong>Acts 12:4:</strong> change <em>"Easter"</em> to <em>"Passover"</em> (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>Acts 17:22:</strong> changes <em>"superstitious"</em> to <em>"religious"</em> (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>Acts 24:14:</strong> change <em>"heresy"</em><em> </em>to <em>"sect"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>Romans 1:18:</strong> change <em>"hold the truth"</em> to<em> </em><em>"suppress the truth"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>Romans 1:25:</strong> change <em>"changed the truth"</em> to <em>"exchanged the truth"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV) <br>
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<strong>Romans 5:8:</strong> change<em> </em><em>"commandeth"</em> to<em> </em><em>"demonstrates"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NASV)<br>
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<strong>Romans 16:18:</strong> change <em>"good words and fair speeches"</em> to <em>"smooth words and flattering speech"</em> (NIV, NASV, NRSV) <br>
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<strong>1 Cor. 1:21:</strong> change <em>"foolishness of preaching"</em> to <em>"foolishness</em><em> </em><strong><em>of the message</em></strong><em> </em><em>preached"</em> (ditto NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV) There's nothing foolish about the gospel of Jesus Christ. <strong><em>Unless you're not saved!</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong>1 Cor. 1:18 says:<em> </em><em>"For the preaching of the cross</em><em> </em><strong><em>is to them that perish FOOLISHNESS. . ."</em></strong> <em>I wonder where that leaves the translators of the NKJV, NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV?</em><br>
<strong>1 Cor. 1:22:</strong> change <em>"require"</em><em> </em>to <em>"request"</em> (NASV)<br>
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<strong>1 Cor. 6:9:</strong> removes<em> </em><em>"effeminate"</em> (NIV, NRSV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>1 Cor. 9:27:</strong> change <em>"castaway"</em> to <em>"disqualified"</em> (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV) <br>
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<strong>2 Cor. 2:10:</strong> change <em>"person of Christ"</em> to <em>"presence of Christ"</em> (NASV, NRSV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>2 Cor. 2:17:</strong> With all the "corruptions" in the NKJV, you'd expect 2 Cor. 2:17 to change. <strong><em>IT DOES!</em></strong> They change, <em>"For we not as many which</em><em> </em><strong><em>CORRUPT</em></strong><em> </em><em>the word of God"</em> to <em>"For we are not, as so many,</em><em> </em><strong><em>PEDDLING</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><em>the word of God"</em> (ditto NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV) <br>
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<strong>2 Cor. 5:17:</strong> change <em>"new creature"</em> to <em>"new creation"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NRSV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>2 Cor. 10:5:</strong> change <em>"imaginations"</em> to <em>"arguments"</em>. Considering New Age "imaging" and "visualization" is now entering the church, this verse in the "old" KJV just won't do. (NIV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>2 Cor. 11:6:</strong> change<em> </em><em>"rude in speech"</em> to <em>"untrained in speech"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>Gal. 2:20:</strong> omit <em>"nevertheless I live"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>Phil. 2:6:</strong> (NKJV 1979e.) change <em>"thought it not robbery to be equal with God"</em> to <em>"did not consider equality with God something to be grasped"</em>. (robs Jesus Christ of deity) (NIV, NASV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>Phil. 3:8:</strong> change <em>"dung"</em> to <em>"rubbish"</em> (NIV, NASV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>1 Thess. 5:22</strong> change<em> </em><em>"all appearance of evil"</em> to<em> </em><em>"every form of evil"</em><em> </em>(NASV, RSV, NSRV)<br>
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<strong>1 Timothy 6:5:</strong> The NKJV changes <em>"gain is godliness"</em> to <em>"godliness is a</em><em> </em><strong><em>MEANS OF</em></strong><em> </em><em>gain".</em> There are NO Greek texts with "means of" in them! Where, oh where, did they come from? Care to take a wild guess? <strong>YOU GOT IT!</strong><strong> </strong>The NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV!<br>
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<strong>1 Timothy 6:10:</strong> The NKJV changes <em>"For the love of money is the root of all evil:"</em><em> </em>to <em>"For the love of money is a root of all</em><em> </em><strong><em>KINDS OF</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><em>evil"</em>. The words <strong><em>"KINDS OF"</em></strong> are found in NO Greek text in the world! Where did they get them? <strong>Straight from the NIV, NASV, NRSV!</strong><br>
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<strong>1 Tim. 6:20:</strong> change <em>"science"</em> to<em> </em><em>"knowledge"</em> (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>Titus</strong><strong> 3:10:</strong> change <em>"heretic"</em> to <em>"divisive man"</em> (NIV)<br>
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<strong>Hebrews 4:8 & Acts 7:45:</strong> <em>"Jesus"</em><em> </em>is changed to<em> </em><em>"Joshua"</em>. (NIV, NASV, RSV)<br>
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<strong>2 Pet. 2:1:</strong> change <em>"damnable heresies"</em> to <em>"destructive heresies"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>1 John 3:16:</strong> remove<em> </em><em>"love of God";</em> (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>1 John 5:13:</strong> The NKJV reads: <em>"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may <strong>CONTINUE TO</strong></em><em> </em><em>believe in the name of the Son of God."</em> They add "CONTINUE TO" without any Greek text whatsoever! Not even the perverted NIV, NASV, NRSV and RSV go that far! A cruel, subtil (see Genesis 3:1) attack on the believer's eternal security!<br>
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<strong>Rev. 2:13:</strong> change <em>"Satan's seat"</em> to <em>"Satan's throne"</em><em> </em>(NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)<br>
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<strong>Rev. 6:14</strong><strong>:</strong> <em>"Heaven"</em> is changed to
<strong><em>AND THAT DOESN'T SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF ALL THE CHANGES!</em></strong></p>
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<strong><em>The NKJV removes the word "Lord" 66 times!</em></strong><br>
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<strong><em>The NKJV removes the word God 51 times!</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><br>
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<strong><em>The NKJV removes the word "heaven" 50 times!</em></strong><br>
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<strong><em>In just the New Testament alone the NKJV removes 2.289 words from the KJV!</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><br>
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<strong><em>The NKJV makes over 100,000 word changes!</em></strong><br>
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<strong><em>And most will match the NIV, NASV, RSV, or RSV! </em></strong><br>
And Thomas Nelson Publishers have the audacity to claim in an ad for the NKJV (Moody Monthly, June 1982, back cover), <strong><em>"NOTHING HAS BEEN CHANGED</em></strong><em> except to make the original meaning clearer."</em><br>
[[Category:Bible]]